Kicked off with Sheffield and Leigh playing a dramatic, thrilling game on TV. Today had 2 superb, controversial, exciting until the end, matches with massive crowds with a finish that will go down in history. Then you have an expansion club winning in front of a decent crowd in another dramatic game to make the playoffs for the first time. Add in 60,000 fans so far and you've got a blinder.

Unfortunately it will end with probably the least anticipated game of Super League history (Salford vs Wakey) but you can't have everything!

Kicked off with Sheffield and Leigh playing a dramatic, thrilling game on TV. Today had 2 superb, controversial, exciting until the end, matches with massive crowds with a finish that will go down in history. Then you have an expansion club winning in front of a decent crowd in another dramatic game to make the playoffs for the first time. Add in 60,000 fans so far and you've got a blinder.

Unfortunately it will end with probably the least anticipated game of Super League history (Salford vs Wakey) but you can't have everything!

Top post - that's why we love RL!

Now then, it's a race between Sandie....and Fairburn....and the little man is in........yeees he's in.

I, just like those Castleford supporters felt that the ball should have gone to David Plange but he put the bit betwen his teeth...and it was a try

Kevin Ward - best player I have ever seen

The real Mick Gledhill is what you see on here, a Bradford fan ........, but deep down knows that Bradford are just not good enough to challenge the likes of Leeds & St Helens.

and next weekend could be even better saints v wire, hull v kr, hudds v crusaders and all rounded off sunday night with wigan v leeds, there should be big crowds at 3 of these games, and with all four games on sky my weekend is sorted.

What does it mean
This tearjerking scene
Beamed into my home
That it moves me so much
Why all the fuss
It's only two humans being.

Kicked off with Sheffield and Leigh playing a dramatic, thrilling game on TV. Today had 2 superb, controversial, exciting until the end, matches with massive crowds with a finish that will go down in history. Then you have an expansion club winning in front of a decent crowd in another dramatic game to make the playoffs for the first time. Add in 60,000 fans so far and you've got a blinder.

Unfortunately it will end with probably the least anticipated game of Super League history (Salford vs Wakey) but you can't have everything!

Kicked off with Sheffield and Leigh playing a dramatic, thrilling game on TV. Today had 2 superb, controversial, exciting until the end, matches with massive crowds with a finish that will go down in history. Then you have an expansion club winning in front of a decent crowd in another dramatic game to make the playoffs for the first time. Add in 60,000 fans so far and you've got a blinder.

Unfortunately it will end with probably the least anticipated game of Super League history (Salford vs Wakey) but you can't have everything!

"Just as we had been Cathars, we were treizistes, men apart."Jean Roque, Calendrier-revue du Racing-Club Albigeois, 1958-1959

"It involves matters much greater than drafting the new rules...the original and existing games have their own powerful appeal to their players and public and have the sentiments which history inspires"Harold 'Jersey' Flegg 1933

I spent most of the weekend watching the NRL's final round, to see who made the playofffs, and also to see how the incoming imports to Les Catalans played.

Unfortunately because I tuned in late I caught only a little sight of Scott Dureau playing for a badly beaten Newcastle Knights against Melbourne Storm. All I found out was that Dureau has an excellent field kicking game. As for his other qualities I didn't learn anything.

However the night before I caught sight of Lopini Paea playing for the Roosters, and though his team played poorly against a poor North Queensland side, I am confident that Paea has the aggressive "go forward" as a prop that Les Catalans are looking for.

I was very impressed not only with the 65,000 in SE Queensdland, but also the big crowd (30,000? ) at Melbourne's AAMI Stadium.

Here's the Sunday Time smatch report for the Hull v Leeds game - I have reproduced it here in full, I trust CKN won't mind:

QUOTE

Hull coach Richard Agar claimed the 11th minute dismissal of Lee Radford for fighting with Leeds prop Ryan Bailey cost his side victory against the Rhinos, who were indebted to to a brace of Danny mcGure tries for sustaining their grand final ambitions with an 18-14 win

I have also taken the liberty of reproducing the Sunday Times match report of the Catalans v Huddersfield game:

Here's the Sunday Time smatch report for the Hull v Leeds game - I have reproduced it here in full, I trust CKN won't mind:

I have also taken the liberty of reproducing the Sunday Times match report of the Catalans v Huddersfield game:

I have also included all the photographs from the paper

It's not quantity but quality that counts. The Independent, for example, yesterday had an 8-page supplement in addition to another page within the regular Sports section devoted to rugby union - but nothing in those pages comes close to matching the artistry, depth, breadth of knowledge and sheer, unadulterated love of the game that shines through the passages you so kindly have quoted for us.

There may be those with the odd quibble?

Why no acknowledgment of unknown rugby club, Wigan's table-topping achievement? Where are the previews of next week's play-off games - three of which are shaping up to be authentic blockbusters? Maybe a word or two remembering the great games and players to have graced Knowsley Road over the last 120 years? A profile of/interview with the brilliant young Eastmond or Tomkins, perhaps?

No. Let these "chipsters" quibble.

The Sunday Times' coverage of rugby league makes the pulse quicken in anticipation of what lies ahead. Surely neither the game nor the coverage can get any better?

And on the night Wigan were awarded the league leaders shield, what did SKY sports see fit to show? South African club union.

To defend Sky on this one slightly - they were also pre-occupied showing Euro 2012 Qualifiers for the soccer. Take in the fact that England was on ITV and the rest of the home nations were playing on Sky, it's a case of "Damned if you do, damned if you don't" on Sky's part.